Horse-Racing Industry Cruelty

Horses used for racing weigh more than 1,000 pounds, yet they are supported by ankles the size of a human’s. In the U.S., horses are whipped and forced to run on tracks made of hard-packed dirt at speeds of more than 30 miles per hour while carrying people on their backs. They are pumped full of drugs intended to mask pain so that they keep running long after their stressed or injured bodies would tell them to stop. They are bought and sold to the highest bidder numerous times and carted from coast to coast, and half of them are eventually abandoned to slaughterhouses.

PETA campaigns on those horse-racing issues that, if changed, will have the most profound impact on the welfare of horses in the industry.

We need your help to make these changes happen!

Please take just a few moments to add your voice to those who have taken part in our horse-racing industry urgent action alerts.

Almost all of us grew up eating meat, wearing leather, and going to circuses and zoos. We never considered the impact of these actions on the animals involved. For whatever reason, you are now asking the question: Why should animals have rights? Read more.